A discussion of all things Lakewood and East Dallas from Advocate Magazines

Nov 11, 2008

Around the web: Whole Foods, high school cheerleaders, Harold's bankruptcy, whiskey bottles

A regular roundup of stuff that wouldn't necessarily make it on the blog, but is worth noting:

• The economy seems to gigging local favorite Whole Foods, so the natural grocery store chain has sold 17 percent of itself to private investors. The company’s stock is down by 70 percent this year, which analysts blame on competition from other grocers. Great quote from Whole Foods boss John Mackey in the story, too: “We believe our core customers remain committed to Whole Foods. However, the unrelenting negative economic news appears to be shifting buying behavior to making fewer trips and to making more value-conscious decisions.” Or, for those of us who speak English: “People don’t want to pay our prices.”

• Those wacky Canadians, who just can’t seem to keep their clothes on. A group of high school cheerleaders performed at football game wearing only bootie shorts and strategically placed tape and paint. As has been noted here, I’m too old to know what bootie shorts are, but there is a tastefully grainy photo from Canada’s National Post if anyone wants to explain it to me –- as well as this great quote from a school official: “We talked to the girls and the principal and it's fair to say it's not going to happen again. We're working with the Grade 11 and Grade 12 girls in an educational way to ensure they portray a better, more wholesome image.”

• Say goodbye to Harold’s, the upscale men’s clothing store that has been an institution in Dallas for some 30 years. It filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy yesterday, and that’s never a good sign when it happens just before the Christmas shopping season. The company, which has been struggling for much of this decade, will reportedly close most of its stores to pay its debt. No news yet on when the closeout sale will be held.

• And because we haven’t had an item from the Onion, the world’s most respected fake news site: “New Texas Legislation Would Require Whiskey Bottles To Be Shot Out Of Air Immediately After Being Emptied.” Doesn’t even need a comment, does it?